Ladder scaffold with guard rail



W. P. MOORE LADDER SCAFFOLD WITH GUARD RAIL Oct. 27, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 26, 1953 INVENTOR.

WILL/n M P Moon 5 3 TTORN EY .ltlli Oct. 27, 1959 w. P. MOORE 2,910,135

LADDER SCAFFOLD WITH'GUARD RAIL Filed Oct. 26, 195: z Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. WILLIAM 7? Home ATTORNEY United States Patent O The invention relates to a ladder-carried scatfold'comprising ladder jacks arranged for the cooperative support of the planks of a platform between adjacent ladders and mounting a guard rail along the outer side of the workin space defined above the platform.

A general object of the invention is to provide a particularly simple and effective device for mounting a guardrail on and between ladder j-acks supporting a scaffold on ladders which are fixedly disposed opposite a face of an upright structure to be worked on. 1

A more specific object is to provide a guardrail support as an attachment for ladder-scaffold jacks.

A further object is to provide and utilize a ladder jack structure which is adjustable to fit ladders which are variably disposed with respect to the vertical.

An added object is to provide a jack-mounted guardrail structure of adjustable length for its mounting on and between jacks carried by variably spaced ladders.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which with the foregoing, will be set forth, or be apparent, in the following description of typical embodiments. thereof, and in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure. 1 is a perspective view illustrating, a scaffold assembly embodying the features of my invention, and mounted on mutually spaced erected ladders leaning against an upright side of a structure.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary and partly sectional view taken at the line 2--2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a mounted guardrail support base unit shown in Figure 1.

v Figure 4 is an elevation taken from the line 4-4 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevation of a mounted ladder jack as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5A is a perspective view of the outer end of the jack having the socket-providing unit of Figure 3 removed.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a present ladder jack mounting a different form of guardrail base than that shown in Figures 1 to 5, and having its parts disposed for mounting it on a vertically disposed ladder.

Figure 7 is a plan view of the structural combination of Figure 6 with the parts arranged for mounting the jack on the outside of a sloping ladder.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the structure of Figure 7.

The guardrail mounting of my invention is shown as provided in association with a ladder jack structure in which upper and lower members 11 and 12 are hingedly connected at outer ends thereof and are respectively provided at their inner ends with hooks 13 and 14 for engaging spaced rungs R of an erected ladder L for mounting the jack on the ladder to extend therefrom while either the members 11 or 12 of jacks mounted on laterally spaced ladders L cooperatively support platform planks P to provide a scaffold. The present members 11 and 12 of a ladder jack essentially comprise generally coplanar flat bars which are connected by a hinge pin 2 15 extending through registering openings through the corresponding bar ends; as is particularly brought out in Figure 5A, an end portion of the member 11 is transversely offset opposite a complementary plate member 11 riveted to it to provide fora centered hinging of the members in coplanar relation.

Means are provided whereby a present ladder jack may be mounted on the rungs R of a standing ladder L which is sloped or is held vertical; accordingly, the hook 13 is arranged for adjusted positioning along and beneath an associated member 11 for its adjustment longitudinally of the member whereby the upper member 11 may extend horizontally from the mounting ladder as in Figures 5 and 8, or a straight inner major portion 12' of the lower member 12 may extend horizontally, as in Figure 5, while the hook 13 of the upper member 11 engages a rung at a higher level. As particularly shown, the hook 13 extends from a member 16 which has a portion 17 arranged to'lie flat against the under edge of the member 11 while an obilque forward end portion 18 of the member slidably receives the member 11 through a slot 19 therethrough, the upper end of said slot being selectively engagable in notches 20 provided in and along the top edge of the member 11. The arrangement is essentially such that the efiective length of the member 11 between its hook 13 and the hinge pin 15 is adjustably variable.

The hook 14 of the lower jack member 12 is shown as provided by an element 22 which is riveted to the straight inner end portion 12' of the'member, it being noted'that the member 12 has a forward part 12" directed obliquely and laterally out of its line and providing the hole for the hinge pin 15 transversely through said part. For insuring a constant upright disposal of the plane of the members 11 and 12 of a ladder-mounted jack, the hooks 13 and 14 are bifurcated to respectively provide mutually spaced parts 13' and 14 in symmetrical relation to the central plane of the members 11 and 12, this being brought out in Figures 1 and 7 of the drawings. The arrangement is essentially such that, when the hooks 13 and 14 respectively engage higher and lower rungs of a ladder, the members 11 and 12 cooperate with the engaged ladder to provide a bracket of triangular form with either the members 11 horizontal (Figures 1 and 5 and 8), or the part 12' of the members 12 horizontal'(Figure 6) the horizontal members of cooperative jacks in a scaffold assembly being arranged to cooperatively support platform planks P on and between them. I

Recalling that a present primary object is to mount 'a guardrail on and between spaced jacks of a laddersupported scaffold, tublar sockets 25 are mounted at the outer jack endsfor receiving the bases of upwardly extending posts 26 which cooperatively and removably mount guardrails 27. In the present structure, a post 26 is tubular for complementary engagement from above in a socket bore to a limit imposed by a stop pin 28 extending through the post and arranged to seat on the top of the socket. A guardrail 27 is preferably of adjustable length, having a tubular section 29 telescopically received within a tubular section 30, and the other ends of the sections 29 and 30 are flattened and transversely perforated to provide'eyes 29 and 30 respectively for receiving therethrough stud bolts 31 which extend from the upper post ends and mount wing nuts 32 for respectively securing the guard rail ends to the tops of adjacent posts 26 of a line thereof. When three or more ladder-mounted jacks are utilized to provide a line of posts 26, the eyes 29' and 30 of coterminous guardrails may be lapped at the engaged stud bolts 31, as is illustrated in Figures land 2. It will be understood that a post-seating pin 28 might be engaged diametrically through'the side of a'socket 25 the post.

Patented Oc t. 27, 1 959 p, 3 4 Having a ladder jack of the previously described structure, means are provided for removably mounting a guardrail post thereon beyond its outer end; as particularly shown-in Figures 1 audit and 4 and 5, the tubular socket 25 is fixed at one end of achannel member 34 which is removably mountable on a jack member 11 or 12 longitudinally thereof; The present member 34 has. mutually parallel flanges 35 and 36 connected by a web 37, and the tubular socketZS extends through a semicircular notch formed in the end of the web, has its outer side enclosed by a complementarycoterminous continuation of the flanges 35 and 36, and is welded to the flanges and web at its points of engagement therewith whereby the. socket and member comprise a rigid unit in which the member 34 provides the base for the socket.

' The channel space of the member 34 is somewhat wider than the thickness of, a jack member 11 or 12, and the open end portion ofthe channel space is divided by a. longitudinal, partition 38 which is parallel to the channel flanges and is arranged to receive an arm 11 or 12 against a face thereof opposite the flange 35 which threadedly mounts a set screw 39 for clampedly engaging an inserted member 11 or 12 flat against. the partition face. The partitions and flanges are of like Width, as measured from the bottom of the channel space, and a plate member 4Q connects the edges of the flange 36 and the partition 38,, and extends partly across the opening defined between; the partition and the. flange 35 to provide for the laterally fitted disposal of a member 11 or 12 between. it and the web while the member is clamped against the partition by the set screw 39.

Whenthe upper plank-supporting edge of the jack member 11 is horizontal, the socket base member is arranged for its mounting on the outer end of the member 11 with its web resting on the top edge of the member. Accordingly, the web. of the member 34 is provided adjacent the socket 25 with a longitudinal; slot 42 for freely receiving the terminal portion of the part 12." of the member 12 which extends beyond the member 11 within the. member 34 and will be longitudinally aligned with the latter member; it will be noted that the portion '12." of themember 12. serves to confine the scaffold. planks supported on and across a member 11 to their working position on the member when a guardrail is-not mounted on the jack. In this manner, a socket 25 maybe detachably fixed on the outer end portion of a jack member 11 for the support, of a post 26 in perpendicular relation to the member, and therefore ina vertical position when the member is horizontal.

If planks P are to be supported on and across the portion .12 of the member ll'while the same is horizontally disposed as. in Figure 6, the present socket and base unit.25--34 may be mounted in inverted position on the outer end of the portion 12 in the manner indicated in dashlineshin Figure 5 whereby to dispose the socket axis in perpendicular relation to the plank-supporting portion 12; of the member 12. It will thus be understood that the. unit 25-44 may be utilized on either of the jack members 11 or 12 in accordance with whichever of the members is: horizontally disposed for the support of scaffold planks. It. be noted however, that the use of the member 12 as a plank support providcs the. planks below the upper jack member 11 which would more or 'lessinterfere with the passage of a workman along a scaffold which issupported on three or more ladders.

Figures 6 to .8; inclusive disclose. a difierent manner of mounting a socket 25. atthe outer end of a present bracket. in this embodiment, the. socket 25 is secured in. the; bend 44' of a U-shaped member 44. which has. opposed. parallel side: portions '45 and 46 which intermediatelyreceive therethrough opposite. end portions. of a hinge pin 15. which connects the members 11 and 12 int-lieu of the shorter hinge pin 15 of the arrangement of Figures 1 to 5A inclusive; since the sides 45.'a.nd 46 of the member 34 are operative to maintain the perpendicular relation of the hinge pin 15' to the connected members 11 and 12, the member 11 lacks an ofiiset and the member 11' is omitted, whereby the members 11 and 12 are relatively swingable in parallel planes rather than being coplanar. The connecting bend portion 44' defines a bore which complementarily receives the exterior of the socket 25 which is fixed in the portion, as by welding. At. their inner ends, the sides 45 and 46 of the member 44 are provided with aligned holes for receiving a bolt 47 which engages a hole provided through the member 11 for securing'the member 44 in such relation to the member 11 that it may form a linear continuation thereof while disposing the axis of the post-receiving socket 25 in perpendicular relation to the line of the member, the relation being brought out in Figure 8.

Should it be desired to support the planks of: a 'scafiold on the portion 12' of the lower jack member 12 asrin Figure 6, the socket-carrying member 44 must be maintained in parallel relation to the member 12 in order that a socket-mounted post, 26 may then be vertical, Accordingly, a plate member 48 is mounted onthe jack member 11 adjacent and. inwardly of the portion 12." of the member 12 and in the plane of the latter member, and is provided with a line of holes 49 at like distances: from the axis of the hinge pin. 15', the upper hole 49 being aligned with the hole of the member 11 which may receive the bolt 47. The lower holes 49 are so spaced in the common arcnate line of the holes that a mounted post 26 will be upright when the jack is. mountedon a ladder; Figure 5 shows the upper end-and. lower books 13 and 14 of a jack engaging adjacent ladder rungs, while Figure 8 shows the hooks engaging ladder rungs at opposite sides of. a mug between them while the. member 11 is in plank-supporting. position.

It will be understood that the removable mounting of guard rail posts provides for the use of the jacks-as; supports for scafiolding planks. without the. provision of a guardrail, as is generally permissiblewhen the scafioldis not too high for its safe use without a guardrail; It will also be understood that the present jacks, with or without guard rails, may be mounted for their support on either the under or upper sides of sloping erected ladders, or on ladders which are held perpendicular for use as a scafiold support. Also, it will be. obvious that the present rungs R might be replaced by step. boards in a ladder, with the hooks 13 and 14 appropriately shaped to engage them. Furthermore, it will be understood that while the present specific jack construction is particularly adapted for the mounting of guardrail assemblies thereon, by the use of the. members 34 or 441215 socket bases, other jack structures. providing members corresponding to. the present members 11 and 12v might advantageously utilize said socket mounting devices.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the present guardrail mounts. will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains. While I have. described the structures and principle of use, together with arrangements which I now consider to comprise preferred embodiments thereof, I desire to have it. understood that the showings. are primarily illustrative, and that such changes. and developments may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim 1. In a, ladder-scaffold'jack, upper and lower bracket members each providing straight upper edges adapted for the mounting of scaffold planks. thereon when horizontally disposed, a hinged connection for said members at their outer ends, meansat the inner ends of said members for securing them on and to. an erected. ladder at higher.

and lower points thereof for selectively disposing the.

upper edge ofeither saidjack member in horizontal dis.

relation to the plank-mounting member which has its upper edge disposed in plank-supporting position.

2. In a ladder-scalfold jack arranged for the mounting thereon of a guardrail support post, upper and lower bracket members each providing straight upper edges adapted for the mounting of scaffold planks thereon when horizontally disposed and having a hinging pivot-pinconnection at their outer ends for their relative swinging in a common upright plane, means at the inner ends of said members for securing them on and to an erected ladder at higher and lower points thereof for disposing the upper edge of either said jack member in horizontal disposition for the support of a scaffold plank thereon, a base member providing a terminal connection for releasably and complementarily engaging a guardrail support post for a fixed angular disposal of the post with respect to the member and providing opposed spaced arms extending radially from the post connection and cooperatively providing an open-ended upstanding recess arranged to receive said hinged connection of the bracket members therein, and means releasably fixing the base member to the upper said bracket member at a point adjacent said hinged connection of the bracket members for disposing the mounted post in fixed upwardly-directed relation to the plank-mounting member which has its upper edge disposed in plank-supporting position.

3. The combination of claim 2 whereof the last means provided for a relative angular adjustment of the base member and the upper bracket member in their common plane.

4. The combination of claim 2 whereof the last means provides for an angular adjustment of the base member about the hinge pin connecting the bracket members, the upper bracket member is provided 'with bolt-receiving holes in an arcuate line which is concentric with the hinge pin, and a bolt is selectively engageable through aligned holes in the base member sides and a said bolt-receiving hole of the upper bracket member for maintaining the angular adjustment of the members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 652,010 Wheeler June 19, 1900 655,100 Macy July 31, 1900 853,344 Dennis May 14, 1907 866,078 Sims Sept. 17, 1907 984,059 Zinsmayer Feb. 14, 1911 1,042,192 Boilot Oct. 22, 1912 1,714,044 Pedersen May 21, 1929 1,859,210 Madsen May 17, 1932 1,906,275 Kramer May 2, 1933 2,043,312 Warner June 9, 1936 2,299,323 Hetky Oct. 20, 1942 2,577,979 Pierson et al Dec. 11, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 671,681 Great Britain June 15, 1950 719,713 France Feb. 9, 1932 

